Keep your religion out of my politics!

[Avatar4321]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Pastors can give up the church's tax-exempt status.

Can't have it both ways.

 

[B. Kidd]

Quick question..............if the Christian preachers start mixing their political views with their religious views, are we on the way towards becoming a theocracy like the Middle East?

Nope.
But if Obama declares martial law and simultaneously annoints himself as the Messiah.....well.....then we will have arrived.

 

[OKTexas]

We have a tradition of pastors in politics that is older than the Declaration of Independence.

Ever heard of the Black Robe Brigade? The King didn't like it back then either.

Just because your in a church doesn't mean you lose your rights as Americans to peacably assemble and speak your minds, the subject is none of the Governments business.

BTW how many mosques have you seen lose their tax exempt status for preaching the distruction of the country?

 

[ScienceRocks]

Quick question..............if the Christian preachers start mixing their political views with their religious views, are we on the way towards becoming a theocracy like the Middle East?

Fuck no...Close minded, anti-freedom of speech thugs should be told to stay out of politics where ever they're found!

So...........you're saying you support preachers mixing politics and religion as well as endorsing candidates?

No,

I don't want religion to fuck with my freedoms.

 

[PredFan]

Preachers have only recently started this politics from the pulpit thing. Pulpit Freedom Sunday has only been around for 4 years (since 2008, the year Obama was elected).

Absolute bull shit.

Really?

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of American pastors plan on challenging the Internal Revenue Service next month, endorsing specific candidates in an attempt to force the courts to decide if politics should be allowed in the pulpit.

Dubbed "Pulpit Freedom Sunday," the Oct. 7 event marks the fourth year that churches, led by conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom, have carried out the protest. Pastors attending the event will “preach sermons that will talk about the candidates running for office” and then “make a specific recommendation,” Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the ADF, said.

"The purpose is to make sure that the pastor -- and not the IRS -- decides what is said from the pulpit,” Stanley told FoxNews.com. “It is a head-on constitutional challenge.”

Last year hundreds of pastors participated in the special Sunday event, preaching about American politics and hot-button issues including same-sex marriage and abortion, according to The New York Times. The politically charged sermons were recorded and sent to the IRS to prove the pastors' violations of a 1954 tax code amendment banning such discourse.

Pastors To Challenge IRS Ban On Political Speech With 'Pulpit Freedom Sunday' (VIDEO)

Preachers didn't just start preaching politics when Pulpit Freedom Sunday started you twit. They've been doing that for decades.

How fucking dense are you really?

 

[ABikerSailor]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

Actually, it was passed into law back in 1954. 58 years ago to be exact. Preachers didn't have a problem complying with the law until 2008 when Pulpit Freedom Sunday first started.

So, you support these people with their free speech? So do I, they can say anything they want, but they should realize that according to a 58 year old law (which was no problem for them before), if they violate it, there are consequences to their actions, i.e. resulting in them losing their tax exempt status.

I'm wondering why it's such a big deal now, when prior to 2008, there was no problem.

Oh yeah...............forgot..............they're pissed that there's a black man in the White House.

 

[Avatar4321]

Pastors can give up the church's tax-exempt status.

Can't have it both ways.

The First amendment says otherwise.

 

[SuMar]

Anyone else think it's a good idea for pastors to preach politics from the pulpit?

More than 1,000 pastors are planning to challenge the IRS next month by deliberately preaching politics ahead of the presidential election despite a federal ban on endorsements from the pulpit.

The defiant move, they hope, will prompt the IRS to enforce a 1954 tax code amendment that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, such as churches, from making political endorsements. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is holding the October summit, said it wants the IRS to press the matter so it can be decided in court. The group believes the law violates the First Amendment by “muzzling” preachers.

“The purpose is to make sure that the pastor -- and not the IRS -- decides what is said from the pulpit,” Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the group, told FoxNews.com. “It is a head-on constitutional challenge.”

Stanley said pastors attending the Oct. 7 “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” will “preach sermons that will talk about the candidates running for office” and then “make a specific recommendation.” The sermons will be recorded and sent to the IRS.

“We’re hoping the IRS will respond by doing what they have threatened,” he said. “We have to wait for it to be applied to a particular church or pastor so that we can challenge it in court. We don’t think it’s going to take long for a judge to strike this down as unconstitutional.”

An amendment was made to the IRS tax code in 1954, stating that tax-exempt organizations are “absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”

“Violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise tax,” the IRS says in its online guide for churches and religious organizations seeking tax exemption.


Read more: Pastors pledge to defy IRS, preach politics from pulpit ahead of election | Fox News

Sure.............the preachers DO have freedom of speech, and can talk about anything that they want, but if they do so politically by urging congregation members to vote for a certain candidate, they should also lose their tax exempt status.

It's been in the tax code since 1954 (58 years), so why are they starting this up now? Why didn't they bitch about it before?

Oh yeah..........that's right.............it wasn't until the GOP was co-opted by the tea party that this became important.

I say let them preach what they want, but if they violate the law, they should lose their tax exempt status as of that day.

Chances are, the congregation is in full agreement with what a Pastor or Priest preaches from the pulpit including political views along with the gospel. There are more pressing issues to debate than this.

 

[OKTexas]

ABS, you just come out of a decades old coma?

Preachers have only recently started this politics from the pulpit thing. Pulpit Freedom Sunday has only been around for 4 years (since 2008, the year Obama was elected).

You really don't know your history, do you? I think your embarrasing yourself, you might want to quit while your behind.

 

[Avatar4321]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

Actually, it was passed into law back in 1954. 58 years ago to be exact. Preachers didn't have a problem complying with the law until 2008 when Pulpit Freedom Sunday first started.

So, you support these people with their free speech? So do I, they can say anything they want, but they should realize that according to a 58 year old law (which was no problem for them before), if they violate it, there are consequences to their actions, i.e. resulting in them losing their tax exempt status.

I'm wondering why it's such a big deal now, when prior to 2008, there was no problem.

Oh yeah...............forgot..............they're pissed that there's a black man in the White House.

That law is unconstitutional.

 

[JakeStarkey]

You can hold a political meeting in a church, sure.

We do it all the time.

But the pastor can't preach politics over the pulpit without losing the tax exemptions.

Just so.

We have a tradition of pastors in politics that is older than the Declaration of Independence.

Ever heard of the Black Robe Brigade? The King didn't like it back then either.

Just because your in a church doesn't mean you lose your rights as Americans to peacably assemble and speak your minds, the subject is none of the Governments business.

BTW how many mosques have you seen lose their tax exempt status for preaching the distruction of the country?

 

[ABikerSailor]

We have a tradition of pastors in politics that is older than the Declaration of Independence.

Ever heard of the Black Robe Brigade? The King didn't like it back then either.

Just because your in a church doesn't mean you lose your rights as Americans to peacably assemble and speak your minds, the subject is none of the Governments business.

BTW how many mosques have you seen lose their tax exempt status for preaching the distruction of the country?

Do you have an actual link to a news source citing where mosques have been preaching the destruction of this country in the US, or, are you just pulling something outta your ass like Michelle Bachmann did when she said that she knew a woman whose kid suffered mental retardation due to the HPV vaccine?

 

[Rocko]

ABS, you just come out of a decades old coma?

Preachers have only recently started this politics from the pulpit thing. Pulpit Freedom Sunday has only been around for 4 years (since 2008, the year Obama was elected).

Where the fuck did you pull that one from LMAO !

 

[ABikerSailor]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

Actually, it was passed into law back in 1954. 58 years ago to be exact. Preachers didn't have a problem complying with the law until 2008 when Pulpit Freedom Sunday first started.

So, you support these people with their free speech? So do I, they can say anything they want, but they should realize that according to a 58 year old law (which was no problem for them before), if they violate it, there are consequences to their actions, i.e. resulting in them losing their tax exempt status.

I'm wondering why it's such a big deal now, when prior to 2008, there was no problem.

Oh yeah...............forgot..............they're pissed that there's a black man in the White House.

That law is unconstitutional.

How come is was considered Constitutional from 1954 until 2008?

It was passed under Eisenhower, who incidentally was a Republican.

 

[Mustang]

Anyone else think it's a good idea for pastors to preach politics from the pulpit?

More than 1,000 pastors are planning to challenge the IRS next month by deliberately preaching politics ahead of the presidential election despite a federal ban on endorsements from the pulpit.

The defiant move, they hope, will prompt the IRS to enforce a 1954 tax code amendment that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, such as churches, from making political endorsements. Alliance Defending Freedom, which is holding the October summit, said it wants the IRS to press the matter so it can be decided in court. The group believes the law violates the First Amendment by “muzzling” preachers.

“The purpose is to make sure that the pastor -- and not the IRS -- decides what is said from the pulpit,” Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for the group, told FoxNews.com. “It is a head-on constitutional challenge.”

Stanley said pastors attending the Oct. 7 “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” will “preach sermons that will talk about the candidates running for office” and then “make a specific recommendation.” The sermons will be recorded and sent to the IRS.

“We’re hoping the IRS will respond by doing what they have threatened,” he said. “We have to wait for it to be applied to a particular church or pastor so that we can challenge it in court. We don’t think it’s going to take long for a judge to strike this down as unconstitutional.”

An amendment was made to the IRS tax code in 1954, stating that tax-exempt organizations are “absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”

“Violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise tax,” the IRS says in its online guide for churches and religious organizations seeking tax exemption.


Read more: Pastors pledge to defy IRS, preach politics from pulpit ahead of election | Fox News

Sure.............the preachers DO have freedom of speech, and can talk about anything that they want, but if they do so politically by urging congregation members to vote for a certain candidate, they should also lose their tax exempt status.

It's been in the tax code since 1954 (58 years), so why are they starting this up now? Why didn't they bitch about it before?

Oh yeah..........that's right.............it wasn't until the GOP was co-opted by the tea party that this became important.

I say let them preach what they want, but if they violate the law, they should lose their tax exempt status as of that day.

They want their cake and to eat it too.

I don't really care if they want to turn their churches into little more than glorified (unglorified is closer to the truth) talk radio broadcasts. I just object to their attempt to do so while maintaining a tax exempt status.

Which is more important to you? Preaching the Gospel with a tax exempt status? Or preaching politics without it? Pick ONE!

 

[PredFan]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

Actually, it was passed into law back in 1954. 58 years ago to be exact. Preachers didn't have a problem complying with the law until 2008 when Pulpit Freedom Sunday first started.

So, you support these people with their free speech? So do I, they can say anything they want, but they should realize that according to a 58 year old law (which was no problem for them before), if they violate it, there are consequences to their actions, i.e. resulting in them losing their tax exempt status.

I'm wondering why it's such a big deal now, when prior to 2008, there was no problem.

Oh yeah...............forgot..............they're pissed that there's a black man in the White House.

I think you didn't duck low enough when you were in the Navy and you smacked your head on the overhead too many times.

 

[ABikerSailor]

The First amendment is the First Amendment. You have no right telling people what they can and can not say. And you have no right to tax someone for saying something you don't like.

This is the United States of America. Stop trying to empower government to go after the rights of others. Because if empower government to go after the rights of others, sooner or later the government will go after yours as well.

Actually, it was passed into law back in 1954. 58 years ago to be exact. Preachers didn't have a problem complying with the law until 2008 when Pulpit Freedom Sunday first started.

So, you support these people with their free speech? So do I, they can say anything they want, but they should realize that according to a 58 year old law (which was no problem for them before), if they violate it, there are consequences to their actions, i.e. resulting in them losing their tax exempt status.

I'm wondering why it's such a big deal now, when prior to 2008, there was no problem.

Oh yeah...............forgot..............they're pissed that there's a black man in the White House.

I think you didn't duck low enough when you were in the Navy and you smacked your head on the overhead too many times.

Hey stupid...........you DO realize that the overhead on a ship is generally 10 ft tall, right?

I think you'd have been better off if you'd said dinged my head on the hatch, but even that would be hard since I'm only 5'7 and never had to duck through a watertight hatch.

 

[earlycuyler]

Quick question..............if the Christian preachers start mixing their political views with their religious views, are we on the way towards becoming a theocracy like the Middle East?

No. Christian preachers, and Muslim Imams tend to not have people drug into the street here and shot in this country for not agreeing. But I agree, Jeremiah Wrights Church should lose his to.

 

[Mustang]

Pastors can give up the church's tax-exempt status.

Can't have it both ways.

The First amendment says otherwise.

The 1st Amendment mentions tax exemptions?